Smitten

by Lacey Weatherford

  Ripper looked impressed. “So were you like valedictorian or something?”

  I laughed. “Something like that,” I answered, amazed at how Hunter could make things up off the top of his head. He made things sound so natural even I could believe the lies, and I knew the truth.

  “Since when do you go for smart girls, Ripper?” Nick asked with a snort.

  “Yeah, Cami might be too good for you,” Seth added with a chuckle.

  “Are you saying I only date dumb girls, and that I’m stupid too?” Ripper asked incredulously.

  “Well, if you aren’t smart enough to figure it out yourself . . . , ” Roberta let her sentence dangle, and I couldn’t help but laugh even harder.

  Ripper gave a disgusted grunt. “For your information, I don’t choose the girls I go with based on how smart they are or aren’t. I like them for their good looks.”

  “Oh, so you’re just shallow then?” Roberta asked. “That sounds so much better.”

  We all laughed again, and Ripper got a sour look on his face. “I was trying to tell Cami how hot she is, thank you very much.”

  Hunter visibly stiffened beside me, and Ripper noticed. “What’s your problem Wilder? You don’t like me talking about your sister that way?”

  “Hunter doesn’t like anyone talking about me, period.” I rushed to smooth things over. “He’s a little overprotective, in case you haven’t noticed,” I teased, reaching over to poke Hunter playfully in the ribs as I tried to diffuse the tension between them.

  “Oh, I’ve noticed,” he grumbled. “You need to chill, man. I’m not going to do anything to hurt her.”

  “Good,” Hunter replied. “Let’s keep it like that.”

  “Contrary to popular belief, apparently, I’m not actually stupid.” He lightly punched Seth and Nick in their backs with his free hand. “And for those who think I am, maybe you should remember who’s paying your bills. Either that, or I can hire on some new people.”

  Seth held his hands up in surrender. “No need for threats, man. I was just messing around with you.”

  “Me too,” Nick spoke up hurriedly.

  “Great. Now that’s taken care of, what do you guys want to do first? We have tonight and all day tomorrow to play around. The delivery is arranged for tomorrow night.”

  “How’s it going to go exactly?” Hunter asked. “This is my first time on this end of things, so I’m out of the loop.”

  I knew he was trying to get more information, so he could give it to the police who were going to help us here in Vegas.

  “Don’t worry, it’s not hard. Roberta and I will go have a meeting with them sometime prior to the exchange, and they’ll tell us where to meet them. When it’s time to make the drop, we exchange keys and give them the cars, they give us the cash, and we all go home happy.”

  Roberta grunted and Hunter cast a glance at her. “What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing,” she replied with a wave of her hand. “Forget it. Where are we going? I’m ready to party.”

  “I think Cami should choose, since she’s never been here,” Ripper said with a smile, giving me a cuddle.

  “Don’t let me pick. I have no idea what there is to do besides hearing about the fountains outside the Bellagio and the pirate show at Treasure Island.”

  “Let’s do that then. We can take the timed walk down the strip and catch all the free attractions,” Ripper suggested.

  “Are you serious?” Seth moaned loudly, his shoulders slumping. “I want to gamble and party.”

  “Cami and Roberta aren’t old enough yet,” Hunter reminded them.

  “Roberta is. She has a fake ID she uses here all the time,” Nick added.

  Hunter shrugged. “Well, Cami doesn’t, so unless you know somewhere she can score one, bars and casinos aren’t an option. I’m not going to risk either of us getting arrested trying to sneak her into places she’s not supposed to be.”

  There was more grumbling from both Seth and Nick.

  “Don’t let me stop you from having a good time,” I said wishing they’d all go somewhere and leave us alone. “I’m more than happy to walk the strip by myself. I can catch up with you later at the hotel.”

  Hunter snorted and rolled his eyes at me.

  “It’s not safe for a pretty girl to be out walking alone on the strip,” Ripper said. “You might get picked up and taken somewhere you’d never want to be.”

  “Like where?” I asked, not following.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Hunter spoke up. “You guys can go wherever you like. I have no problem staying with Cami and showing her the sights. We can catch up with you later. Feel free to go hit the clubs and have some fun.”

  Ripper pulled me closer. “Nah, that’s okay. I promised Cami I was going to paint the town with her tonight. I can’t ditch out on my girl when it’s her first time in Vegas.” He placed a light kiss on the top of my forehead.

  “It’s okay, really,” I said with a smile, eager to be rid of them. “I don’t mind at all. After Hunter’s accident, I made up my mind to spend more one-on-one time with him and Chris. There's nothing like a near-death experience to make a person reevaluate their priorities. Family comes first.”

  “You’re a good sister,” Hunter said with an appreciative look. He gripped my hand. “Don’t ever doubt it.”

  “Come on, Ripper. Let’s go party,” Seth whined. “She’ll be okay.”

  Ripper sighed heavily as he looked at me. “Are you sure?”

  I nodded. “I’m actually really tired after our trip. That was a long drive. I think if Hunter’s okay with it, maybe we can catch a show where we can sit down. I’d love to watch any of the musical performances here.”

  He laughed. “I keep forgetting I’m dating an artsy girl.” He turned his attention to Hunter. “You sure, man?”

  Hunter nodded. “I’m good with it.”

  “I want to stay with Hunter and Cami,” Roberta spoke up.

  “Really?” Hunter seemed surprised.

  She nodded. “I don’t need to go clubbing. I’ve already got the hottest guy on the strip.”

  I had to force myself to remain passive. I knew it was all part of the act, but I also had no doubt she was truly into Hunter. She didn’t want to leave the two of us together.

  Ripper’s phone started vibrating, and he pulled it out, looking at the screen before he answered it. “Hey Ernesto, what’s up?” He paused for a moment. “Yeah, we’re here. The cars are all ready for tomorrow.” He paused again. “Yes, she’s here this time too.” He glanced toward Roberta. “Okay, no problem. We’ll meet you there.”

  “What’s going on?” Hunter asked, instantly on the alert.

  “Nothing, man. The guys we do business with want to meet with Roberta and me for some drinks and get things set for tomorrow.”

  “Where at?”

  “Down the strip at Mandalay Bay.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Hunter volunteered immediately. “Cami can wait for us in her room.”

  Ripper clapped him on the shoulder. “Go have fun with Cami. This is a private meeting they request sometimes. They don’t even let Seth and Nick come.”

  “Yeah, they think their high roller parties are too good for us.”

  “Why does Roberta need to go?” Hunter asked.

  “They like her. I had her with me the first time we met. They consider her part of the team.”

  “Are you okay with that?” Hunter asked her. “I don’t want you doing anything dangerous.”

  She nodded and gave a little laugh. “I’ll be fine. Haven’t you figured out that danger is my middle name?”

  He appeared to ponder this for a second. “I thought your middle name was sexy?”

  She giggled. “I have lots of middle names. Stick around, and I’ll show you plenty more.”

  “Deal. I plan on being around for a while.” Hunter pulled her into his arms right in the middle of the sidewalk and gave her a big kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck
and hugged him close as she kissed him back.

  “Get a room,” a pedestrian said as they passed, and everyone around us laughed.

  “We have one,” Roberta said as she broke away staring at Hunter with stars in her eyes.

  He smiled back, and I had to look away. It hurt my heart too much to watch.

  “My turn,” Ripper whispered in my ear before turning my face to his. His lips touched mine, and I lifted my hand to stroke his cheek as I quickly pulled away. “Have a good time tonight.”

  “I will, but not as good as if you were there. I’ll call you when we’re done.”

  “Okay,” I nodded, noticing that Hunter was now watching the two of us the way I’d been watching him a minute ago.

  “Let’s go,” Ripper said to the others. “Seth and Nick, you can play in the casino while you’re waiting for us.”

  “All right!” Seth exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. “Party time!”

  They said their goodbyes and headed down the sidewalk together.

  “So it’s just you and me,” Hunter said as we watched them walk away.

  “Looks that way. Sorry you got stuck with the underage girl?” I teased.

  He smiled. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Now I get to paint the town red with you, which is how it should be anyway.”

  We turned back toward the Venetian, which was where we were staying.

  “So what do you want to do?” I asked, wishing I could slip my hand into his. I kept them clasped in front of me instead.

  “I’m going to take you to dinner at a nice Italian restaurant, and we’re going to see if there are any shows that appeal to you—if the concierge can get us tickets.”

  “Sounds great. Too bad the Venetian doesn’t show The Phantom of the Opera anymore. I would’ve loved to see it here.”

  Hunter’s eyebrows shot up. “Honestly, that surprises me. I wasn’t sure if you’d care for that musical anymore after what happened with Clay.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not going to let Clay ruin it for me. It’s still my favorite.”

  He draped his arm around me. “You’re stronger than you look, you know that?”

  “Are you saying I look wimpy?” I teased back.

  He laughed. “No. I tend to think of you as my fragile girl who needs protecting. You often surprise me with how strong you are.”

  “I think it’s a love thing. I always feel like I need to protect you too.”

  We stepped on the moving sidewalk that would take us up to the second floor shops of the Venetian. Hunter kept his arm around my shoulders until we stepped off, and then he pulled me into a secluded corner. He kissed me quickly, before stepping away and looking around.

  “I’m sorry. That probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do,” he apologized.

  “Why? I don’t mind, and it’s not like anyone here knows who we are.”

  “Yeah, but you’re here with Ripper. We may frequently run into other people at the hotel. It would be obvious if you were seen being romantic with two different guys and me with two different girls. Plus, there are security cameras all over these places. You never know who’s watching. We need to be careful in public.”

  I glanced around, suddenly feeling paranoid. “You’re right. Let’s go to your room and find a show to see.”

  “Sure thing, Sis,” he said good-naturedly.

  I groaned. “Can I just say—I can’t wait until I’m not your sister anymore?”

  He laughed. “Me neither, Goody. Me neither.” He glanced at me as he slid his hands into his pockets, and I wondered if he were having trouble keeping them to himself too. “So, I have a request for you.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I know it’s your first night in Vegas, but would you mind if we didn’t stay out late? I was thinking if you happened to fall asleep early in my room while you’re waiting for Ripper to get back, then I could tell him I didn’t want to wake you up because you weren’t feeling well. It would keep you from having to sleep in his room tonight.”

  “That sounds like a great plan to me. I’d much rather be with you.”

  “I worry about you having nightmares while you’re with him. I don’t know if you might talk in your sleep.”

  “My nightmares have been less frequent since you took me home, but I can understand why you’d be concerned.”

  “I know being with him puts you under stress. I want you to feel safe.”

  “What will be our excuse for tomorrow night?” I asked. “You know Ripper wants me to stay with him. It’s been hard to keep coming up with reasons to put him off.”

  “We’ll think of something, and if we don’t, tell him it makes you uncomfortable. What’s the worst that’ll happen? He’ll dump you for not putting out? That’s more than fine by me.”

  I laughed. “Me too. It’s funny really. He’s been a nice enough guy, but knowing what he’s capable of makes me feel sick to be around him. I don’t like it when he touches me.”

  “I don’t like it either,” Hunter growled, a frown creasing his face. “In fact, I feel the extreme need to punch him every time he gets near you. Hang on a second.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “It’s Chris. He says for me to call him.”

  “I hope everything’s okay,” I replied while Hunter pushed the card into the key slot and opened the door. I sat on the bed, watching expectantly while he dialed the number.

  “Hey Chris, what’s up? Yeah, I can talk. It’s just me and Cami here at the moment.” He paused and then nodded as if he were agreeing with whatever Chris was saying. “How does that affect the deal going down here tomorrow?” He waited again. “Ripper and Roberta have gone to meet a guy named Ernesto at Mandalay, but he wouldn’t let any of us go with them. He said it was private. Okay, I got it. Send me the information when you have it. I’ll take care of things on this end. Thanks, Chris.”

  “What’s happening?” I asked, feeling like I was about to die of curiosity.

  “Chris said the body was positively identified as Manny. Their forensics search turned up blood evidence on Ripper’s toolbox in the garage. It’s a match. We’ve got him on suspicion of murder and grand theft auto.”

  My heart pounded, with both relief and nerves—relief that everything was nearly over, and nerves from knowing I really had been spending time with a killer. “What happens now?”

  “Tucson PD is setting up a joint effort with Las Vegas PD. They’re going to tap into my phone signal and bust everyone at the car exchange tomorrow. Ripper will be extradited back to Arizona for the murder charges. Chris is going to send me information on the detectives who will be in charge of things here.” He smiled. “Hopefully, in the next twenty-four hours all of this will be over with.”

  I stood up and wrapped my arms around his neck. “It can’t happen soon enough for me. Please promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “We both need to be careful. Both of us will be there. Remember not to resist, and do whatever they tell you. They may not know who is who in the beginning, and it could cause things to get a little rough.”

  At this point, I didn’t care if a cop face-planted me into the dirt and cuffed me to a pole. All I could think of was one more day, and then it would all be done.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Cami-

  “Cami! Cami!” Hunter’s urgent voice penetrated my sleepy mind as he shook me violently.

  “What is it?” I asked, sitting up immediately.

  “Get your shoes on. We’ve got to go right now!” He was frantically throwing on his shoes, tying the laces.

  I quickly did what he asked, wondering how we’d gone from a nice relaxed evening to this.

  “What’s happening?” I grabbed my purse as he shoved his wallet back into his pocket.

  “Turn off your cell phone,” he ordered me as he shut his down. “We’ve been made. Apparently, there’s a dirty cop here in Vegas. He intercepted Chris’s report and blew our cover to Ripper and Ernesto. Ernesto�
��s thugs are on the way here right now. Roberta managed to text me a warning. She said they don’t know my real name, only that an undercover officer had infiltrated, but they know it’s me.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door as I pushed the button to shut down my phone. “We’ve got to get lost here and find a safe place until we can get help. I can’t trust the police, because I don’t know who the leak is.”

  My heart was racing, and I wondered if I was stuck in another bad nightmare. “Please tell me I’m dreaming,” I muttered.

  “I wish I could.” He opened the door and peered out into the empty hallway. “Let’s go.”

  We ran down the hallway toward the circular sitting area, which had several halls branching off from it. Hunter paused for a moment, glancing between the hall of elevators and the bridge that led to another section of the hotel. “This way,” he said, guiding me toward the bridge.

  The elevators dinged open behind us, but we didn’t pause to look and see who it was. A guard sat halfway down the breezeway, and he stood, staring at us curiously as we hurried toward him.

  “That’s them!” I heard an unfamiliar voice behind us.

  “Help,” Hunter said to the security guard. “Those guys behind us tried to rob my girlfriend.”

  Immediately, the security guard reached for his Taser and called for extra reinforcements. Hunter didn’t stop running, dragging me through the maze of opulent halls as I tried desperately to match his long stride.

  “Keep running!” he ordered. “The guard won’t be able to hold them all off!”

  Busting through a set of doors that marked an emergency stairwell, we clamored down them as quickly as we could. My breath was coming in short, fast bursts, and I noticed his was too. We hit the door at the bottom, continuing down the corridor. Ahead, I could see the exit that led out onto the street, and we made our way toward it, surging through.

  He glanced around quickly.

  “Which way?” I asked, nervously checking behind us.

  “We need to get away from the most cameras. They can track us that way,” He huffed. “I think we need to stay off the strip.” We started running again down the sidewalk, weaving our way through the throngs of people, rudely bumping and jostling them. Several shouted as we passed by, but I was too scared to worry about apologies.